Dwindling Appeal For Agriculture - Agriculturalists Must Share the Blame

Friday, May 04, 2001 - Minister for Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries the Honourable Cassius Elias says the reluctance of young persons to enter the agricultural sector may be traced to the scores of St. Lucians who have received formal training in agriculture in the past but have failed to make any tangible contribution to the industry.

According to the Minister, "I have seen very few agriculturalists who study agriculture at public expense, return and set up a small farm anywhere in the country to practice the modern techniques they’ve learnt."

Minister Elias, speaking at a National Youth Seminar on Food Security and Sustainable Agricultural Development sponsored by the Food and Agricultural Organization (FAO), says that is why young people are not attracted to agriculture because, "all they’ve seen over the years is an old man or woman walking long distances to the countryside with a cutlass and fork trying to etch a living from the soil. That cannot attract you and that is why today we say the average age of a farmer is between 50 and 55 because young people are just not going that way anymore."

He says the new cadre of students undergoing agricultural studies must see themselves as agriculturalists instead of just farmers, taking a hands-on approach to agriculture as opposed to remaining on the sidelines.

[ Home ] [ Up ] [ Search for 2001 Press Releases ] [Site Help]

© 2001 Government Information Service. All rights reserved.

Read our privacy guidelines.